Correlations between lichen planus and autoimmune diseases: a Mendelian randomization study

Xuan Long; Guiying Zhang; Qiaolin Wang; Jieyue Liao; Xin Huang

doi:10.1007/s00403-024-03525-9

Correlations between lichen planus and autoimmune diseases: a Mendelian randomization study

Arch Dermatol Res. 2024 Nov 21;317(1):36. doi: 10.1007/s00403-024-03525-9.

Authors

Xuan Long¹, Guiying Zhang¹, Qiaolin Wang^{1

2}, Jieyue Liao³, Xin Huang⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Dermatology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenomics, Clinical Medical Research Center of Major Skin Diseases and Skin Health of Hunan Province, Central South University, No. 139 Renmin Middle Road, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, China.
² Institute of Dermatology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Key Laboratory of Basic and Translational Research on Immune-Mediated Skin Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Nanjing, China.
³ Department of Dermatology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenomics, Clinical Medical Research Center of Major Skin Diseases and Skin Health of Hunan Province, Central South University, No. 139 Renmin Middle Road, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, China. dr.jieyueliao@csu.edu.cn.
⁴ Department of Dermatology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenomics, Clinical Medical Research Center of Major Skin Diseases and Skin Health of Hunan Province, Central South University, No. 139 Renmin Middle Road, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, China. xin_huang@csu.edu.cn.

PMID: 39570428
DOI: 10.1007/s00403-024-03525-9

Abstract

Previous observational studies have found that lichen planus (LP) is associated with autoimmune diseases. To determine the association between LP and 15 autoimmune diseases, we applied the Mendelian randomization (MR) approach, which uses genetic variants as a tool to improve causal inference. We performed a two-sample MR with the genetic instruments identified for 15 autoimmune diseases. Genome-wide association study (GWAS) data was sourced from the IEU Open GWAS database. The instrumental variables (IVs) for LP (1865 cases and 212,242 non-cases) were genetic variations highly associated (P < 5 × 10^-6) with LP in the European population. To calculate causal effects, odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) are employed. MR showed that the genetic risk of psoriasis was positively associated with atopic dermatitis (OR [95%CI] = 0.964[0.936, 0.992], P_IVW = 0.013), ankylosing spondylitis (OR [95%CI] = 0.879[0.774, 0.999], P_IVW = 0.047) and Type 1 diabetes (OR [95%CI] = 1.074[1.008, 1.145], P_IVW = 0.027). These results didn't exhibit horizontal pleiotropy, and "leave-one-out" analysis demonstrated result stability. The MR study indicates a causal relationship between atopic dermatitis, ankylosing spondylitis and Type 1 diabetes in Europe. Further research is necessary to clarify the biological mechanisms that underlie these associations.

Keywords: Autoimmune diseases; Lichen planus; Mendelian randomization.

MeSH terms

Autoimmune Diseases* / epidemiology
Autoimmune Diseases* / genetics
Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / epidemiology
Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / genetics
Europe / epidemiology
Genetic Predisposition to Disease*
Genome-Wide Association Study*
Humans
Lichen Planus* / diagnosis
Lichen Planus* / epidemiology
Lichen Planus* / genetics
Mendelian Randomization Analysis* / methods
Odds Ratio
Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide*
Psoriasis / epidemiology
Psoriasis / genetics